Roofing firm fined after collapsed trench leaves worker buried alive

Recently, a construction worker suffered serious injuries when tonnes of soil buried him in the ground. The worker sustained a broken collar and shoulder bone, fractured all but two of his ribs and punctured both of his lungs.

The incident took place on site whilst a trench was being dug by an excavator. And when workers came across a boulder that prevented them from continuing work, they attempted to remove it. However, one worker was stood in the trench laying piping and trying to guide the excavator.

Unfortunately, whilst attempting to move the obstacle, one of the trench walls collapsed, burying the worker. Emergency services rushed to the scene though and managed to dig the man free, racing him to the hospital.

After an investigation by the HSE though, it was soon found that the trench walls had not been supported. Alongside this, they also found that none of the workers had any formal training in regards to health and safety either. Instead, workers were given verbal briefings in replacement of mapped, detailed plans.